​​In The Shadow of Longs Peak

Longmont Boulder Trail

 A nice bike trail that runs along the Diagonal and Left Hand Creek, and joining to the St. Vrain Greenway.

Saturday 03 April 2021 

Finally, I did another section of the LOBO trail by bike, getting on at Airport Rd, and biking to Niwot to figure out how the trail winds thru Niwot and out the other side to the area where the Monarch TH is located and then connecting to the Niwot loop trailhead and that trail that Greg and Bobbi & I hiked last week.  

I need to point out that the last time I did this was in probably in 2016 when I still worked in the Dothill facility off Sunset St in Longmont.  Perhaps the signing was not as good back then, but I remember taking 87th Street into Niwot but then lost the trail.  Today, riding the same road, there is the Left Hand Grange Trail Head and the trail from there is well marked.  I take a break, rearrange my gear, have a drink and on my way. This trail seems to consist of the new LOBO trail and existing cement walkways.

I come to another street, seems like a main road, and cross it where there is another sign for the LOBO trail.

Starting at the Left Hand Grange Trailhead, the trail travels along a ditch, and after I cross the road, it continues along a ditch.  Not a big ditch like the one by my house in Lyons but a little ditch, maybe 12" wide, and no more than that deep. 

I continue along and in no time, I am at the Monarch Road TH.  I had pulled in here on my scouting trip for the Niwot Loop outing with Greg and Bobbie.  There are no cars here and no restrooms. I continue past, where a sign points to Boulder and The Niwot Loop. I want to be at the Niwot Loop Trailhead but seem to be headed away from that and more toward Boulder.  But after two gates there is a junction with one arm going back toward the desired direction, so I follow it, cross the road, and voila! I am where I want to be.  This took about an hour from the Left Hand Grange Trailhead, which is not bad.

I was thinking I'd follow the Somerset Trail back but opt for the Hidden Star that we hiked on Friday.  I am surprised that how much downhill it is.  I curve down and around and soon am at a trail that leads into a neighborhood, which I take it sight /unseen.  In 3 minutes, I am at the intersection of Niwot and Somerset Road.  There is an underpass and soon a sign that says, "To Longmont” and I am not far from the Left Hand Grange Trailhead mentioned earlier.   Now it's just the return trip.

I take LOBO trail back to the Airport Road underpass, then along Airport Road I cut through a couple greenways and pick up the ditch trail just south of my house, under Grandview Meadows, and north.

I am home by 2.15, so about an hour return.